# Aurora Admin v2 — Project Status

_Last updated: 2026-07-03_

## What this project is

A ground-up rebuild of the "uiXpress" WordPress admin-theme plugin, relaunched
as **Aurora Admin**. The original plugin's look/feel and feature set are the
target, but **no original code is reused** — all Vue components, PHP classes,
and build tooling are freshly written. This lives in `aurora-admin-v2/` (the
earlier in-place rebrand attempt, `aurora-admin-working/`, is superseded and
no longer the active codebase).

## Repo

Now on GitLab (self-hosted): `ssh://git@git.auroradragon.studio:2289/NixReaper/aurora-wordpress-admin.git`
(HTTPS also available). Repo root = the contents of `aurora-admin-v2/`
(`admin/`, `app/`, `aurora-admin.php`), not the whole `uixpress/` folder — that
folder has a bunch of dead-end attempts (`aurora-admin-working`,
`aurora-admin-distribution`, `aurora-admin-rewrite`, `aurora-admin-GLM`,
`uixpress`) that are debugging history, not part of the project.

`.gitignore` excludes `app/node_modules/` and `app/dist/` (build output —
regenerate, don't version). To clone on a new machine: add an SSH key to the
GitLab account, then `git clone` the URL above, then `cd app && npm install`.

Claude Code conversation history does **not** sync across machines — it's
local per project-folder-per-machine. Point a fresh session at this file to
get back up to speed instead of relying on prior chat history.

## Workflow rules established

- **Always verify live in Chrome** before declaring a fix done. Use the
  Chrome MCP tools (`tabs_context_mcp`, `navigate`, `computer`/screenshot,
  `javascript_exec`) to inspect real DOM/computed styles rather than
  guessing from source.
- **Zip packaging**: Windows `Compress-Archive` corrupts the WP upload
  (backslash path separators break PHP's unzip). Always build the zip via
  PowerShell `System.IO.Compression.ZipFile`, normalizing every entry path
  with `.Replace('\', '/')`. Full sequence used every time:
  1. `npm run build` in `app/`
  2. `robocopy` the whole `aurora-admin-v2/` tree into
     `aurora-admin-v2-dist/aurora-admin/` with `/MIR /XD node_modules .git`
     (exit code 3 = success, not an error)
  3. Rebuild `aurora-admin-v2-dist/aurora-admin-v2.zip` via the
     `System.IO.Compression.ZipFile` PowerShell snippet (see any recent
     commit's session for the exact script)
  4. User manually reinstalls the zip into WordPress — **the Chrome MCP
     `file_upload` tool cannot push arbitrary local files into the browser**,
     confirmed this session, so this step can't be automated.
- **Old build caching gotcha**: WordPress serves whatever plugin files were
  last installed — if the user says "didn't fix it," suspect a stale zip
  still installed before suspecting the code. Verify the live script hash via
  `document.querySelector('script[src*="shell"]')` + computed styles when in
  doubt (done successfully this session to prove a spacing change was live).
- **Git**: local repo config only (`user.name`/`user.email` set per-repo, not
  `--global`). Commit after each user-confirmed-working change, not before.
- Site under test: `http://admin.local/wp-admin/`.

## Architecture

- **PHP** (`admin/src/...`, namespaced `AuroraAdmin\...`), bootstrapped from
  `aurora-admin.php` (manual `require` list, dependency order matters),
  instantiated in `admin/src/App/AuroraAdmin.php`'s constructor.
- **Vue 3** app (`app/src/...`), Vite multi-entry build (`app/vite.config.js`
  `rollupOptions.input`) → `manifest.json`, read by
  `admin/src/Utility/Assets.php::enqueue()` which also walks the manifest's
  `imports` chain to pull in shared-chunk CSS. Data reaches each Vue entry via
  a `data-aurora-admin` JSON attribute on a mount div (never `wp_localize_script`).
- **Single global stylesheet**: `app/src/shell/shell-frame.css` — all
  `--aurora-*` CSS variables (incl. `.aurora-dark` overrides) and the only
  rules touching WP structural IDs (`#wpcontent`, `#wpbody-content`). No
  element resets/utility classes leak onto native WP pages.
- **Immersive shell** (`admin/src/Shell/Shell.php` + `app/src/shell/SiteShell.vue`
  + `Sidebar.vue` + `Toolbar.vue` + `UserMenu.vue`): hides native WP chrome,
  mounts a Vue sidebar/toolbar on every admin page.
  - `MenuSerializer.php` converts WP's `$menu`/`$submenu` globals into JSON
    for the sidebar's native-menu section — explicitly skips the
    `aurora-admin` slug so Aurora's own pages aren't duplicated (they're
    represented in the sidebar's own branded nav section instead).
  - Sidebar has two sections: the WP-native menu list (icon-chip style,
    28×28px rounded icon backgrounds, tight ~2px vertical padding per item)
    and a bottom "Aurora" section (collapsible, expanded by default,
    persisted via `localStorage['aurora-nav-expanded']`) styled like a
    **native WP submenu** (plain indented text via `.sidebar__sublist`/
    `.sidebar__sublink`, no icons) — deliberately matches how e.g. Posts'
    own submenu (All Posts/Add Post/Categories/Tags) looks, per explicit user
    request.
  - Sidebar is `display:flex; flex-direction:column`, split into a
    `.sidebar__scroll` (flex:1, scrollable — holds brand/native-list/Aurora
    section) and a pinned `UserMenu` footer below it (not part of the
    scrollable area, so the account card is always visible).
  - `UserMenu.vue`: floating card that expands **upward** from a bottom-left
    trigger (avatar+name+chevron). Card contains: user header (avatar/name/
    email), links (Edit Profile → `profile.php`, Visit site, Site Settings →
    `options-general.php`, Sign Out in red), and a 3-way theme control.
  - Theme is a **3-state model**: `'light' | 'dark' | 'system'`, stored as
    that string in `settings.dark_mode` (old `'on'`/`'off'` values are
    migrated on read via `normalizeStoredTheme()` in `SiteShell.vue`).
    `system` tracks `matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)')` live via a
    change listener. The theme control renders as 3 actual color swatches
    (white / near-black / diagonal split for light/dark/system) — **not**
    icons; an earlier icon-based version (sun/moon/gear) was explicitly
    replaced after user feedback that the gear "did nothing" visually.
  - Old top-right toolbar user-dropdown and sun/moon toggle button are
    **removed** — fully replaced by the bottom-left `UserMenu`.
- **Dashboard takeover** (`admin/src/Pages/DashboardTakeover.php` +
  `app/src/pages/dashboard/Dashboard.vue`): hijacks native `index.php` via
  `in_admin_header`, hides the native `.wrap`, renders the Aurora dashboard
  in its place. 12-col grid; cards are single `<section class="aurora-card">`
  elements with inline `grid-column: span N` (NOT wrapped — component
  attribute fallthrough for styles was unreliable). Never use unprefixed
  class names on Aurora components (`.card` collided with WP core once).
- **Settings page** (`admin/src/Pages/SettingsPage.php` + `app/src/pages/
  settings/Settings.vue`): owns the top-level "Aurora Admin" WP admin menu
  directly via `add_menu_page` (slug `aurora-admin`). Two-box layout:
  `.settings__nav` (category list) + `.settings__content` (fields), both
  boxed/bordered on a darker backdrop. Field schema is declarative in
  `app/src/pages/settings/settingsConfig.js`, rendered by
  `app/src/pages/settings/components/SettingsField.vue` (types: text, toggle,
  color, image, repeater, multiselect, segmented, remote-sites).
- **5 sub-apps** (`admin/src/Pages/SubApps.php` + one PHP feature-class pair
  each + one Vue page + one Vite entry each) — reachable only via the
  sidebar's Aurora nav section, not the native WP menu:
  - Registered via `add_submenu_page('aurora-admin', ...)` then immediately
    `remove_submenu_page()`'d on a late `admin_menu` hook — the
    register-but-hide trick: real page/capability/URL, but never appears in
    WP's native `$submenu` global (so `MenuSerializer` never sees them,
    nothing to filter there).
  - All slugs prefixed `aurora-admin-*` so `Shell::is_own_page()`'s existing
    `strpos($page, "aurora-admin") === 0` check covers them for free (full
    custom dark theme, `native-dark.css` skipped).
  - Each page uses the shared two-pane layout `app/src/pages/_shared/AppListShell.vue`
    (generalized from Settings.vue's box-pair CSS) + `AppListItem.vue` for
    list rows.
  - **Menu Creator** (`admin/src/MenuCreator/`): DB table
    `aurora_admin_menus` (name/status/roles JSON/items JSON). Runtime
    `admin_menu` hook (priority `PHP_INT_MAX`) applies published configs
    matching the current user's roles — hides/relabels native menu items by
    slug. REST: `GET/POST /menus`, `GET/PUT/DELETE /menus/:id`,
    `GET /menus/native-items` (real WP menu list to build the editor from,
    via `MenuSerializer::serialize()`). Reordering is stored (`order` field)
    but not yet applied at runtime — CRUD + hide/relabel only so far.
  - **Admin Notices** (`admin/src/Notices/`): DB table `aurora_admin_notices`
    (title/message/type/roles JSON/pages JSON/dismissible/active). Runtime
    `admin_notices` hook renders active, role/page-matching rows via real WP
    notice markup. REST: `GET/POST /notices`, `PUT/DELETE /notices/:id`.
  - **Role Editor** (`admin/src/Roles/`): no custom table — wraps core
    `get_editable_roles()`/`WP_Roles` directly. Hard-codes the 5 default
    roles (`administrator, editor, author, contributor, subscriber`) as
    delete-protected (WP has no built-in check for this). REST:
    `GET/POST /roles`, `PUT/DELETE /roles/:slug`.
  - **Activity Log** (`admin/src/ActivityLog/`): DB table
    `aurora_admin_activity_log`. Hooked to `save_post` (guards
    `wp_is_post_autosave()`/`wp_is_post_revision()`), `before_delete_post`,
    `user_register`, `profile_update`, `wp_login`, `activated_plugin`,
    `deactivated_plugin`, `switch_theme`,
    `update_option_aurora_admin_settings`. REST:
    `GET /activity-log?action_type=&object_type=&search=&page=`.
  - **Database Explorer** (`admin/src/DatabaseExplorer/`): no custom table —
    reads real `$wpdb` schema. `GET /db-tables` (SHOW TABLE STATUS),
    `GET /db-tables/:table` (columns + paginated rows — table name validated
    against the real `$wpdb` table list before use, never interpolated
    unchecked), `POST /db-query` (raw query runner, hard-restricted
    server-side to queries starting `SELECT`/`SHOW`/`DESCRIBE`/`EXPLAIN`,
    single-statement only, auto-`LIMIT 200` if none given). All 3 endpoints
    `manage_options`-gated. Identifier allow-listing + backtick-escaping is
    the actual safety boundary (`$wpdb->prepare()` only binds values, not
    identifiers).
  - All 5 backend classes + `SubApps.php` are `require`'d in
    `aurora-admin.php` and instantiated in `AuroraAdmin.php`.
- **Settings persistence**: `admin/src/Options/Settings.php` — partial-payload
  save via `merge_on_save()` sanitize callback (merges into existing option,
  doesn't overwrite). `Settings::get_safe()` strips `license_key` and remote
  site passwords for use on non-admin-gated pages; `Settings::get()` (full)
  only used on the manage_options-gated settings page itself.
- **Global search**: `app/src/shell/components/SearchModal.vue`, Ctrl+K,
  debounced `wp/v2/search` REST calls, gated on `disable_global_search` setting.
- **Remote site switcher**: toolbar dropdown, gated on `canSwitchSites` (from
  `remote_site_switcher_capability` setting) + non-empty `remote_sites`.
- **Scheduled content**: `app/src/pages/dashboard/cards/ScheduledContent.vue`
  calendar cells (squares, date top-left, count centered) are clickable —
  navigate to `edit.php?post_status=future&aurora_day=YYYY-MM-DD` if that day
  has scheduled posts, else show a toast ("no scheduled content"). Server side:
  `admin/src/Posts/ScheduledDayFilter.php` filters the `edit.php` query via
  `pre_get_posts` and prints an info notice.
- **Analytics**: `admin/src/Analytics/Analytics.php` (first-party pageview
  tracker, own DB table `wp_aurora_admin_pageviews`, bot detection, gated on
  `enable_analytics`/`track_admins` settings) + `admin/src/Rest/AnalyticsData.php`
  (aggregation REST endpoint: totals, series, device/referrer/country
  breakdowns, bounce rate, active users).
- **White label**: `admin/src/WhiteLabel/WhiteLabel.php` — custom favicon,
  rename plugin in Plugins list, rename top-level menu item, gettext
  find/replace via `text_replacements` setting.
- **Native page dark styling**: `admin/assets/native-dark.css` (large static
  sheet, all rules gated `html.aurora-dark.aurora-ready`, scoped under
  `#wpbody-content`) + `admin/assets/native-enhance.js` (progressive JS
  enhancement — currently only `enhanceUpdates()`, which groups the flat
  Updates page sections into `.aurora-native-card` wrapper divs on
  `body.update-core-php`).

## Key bugs fixed (root causes, in case they resurface)

- **`.card` global class collision**: original Dashboard cards used
  `class="card"`, colliding with WP core's `.card { max-width: 520px }`.
  Fixed by renaming to `.aurora-card*` everywhere. Never use unprefixed
  class names on Aurora components.
- **Grid-column not applying on wrapped cards**: settled on unwrapped
  `<section class="aurora-card" :style="{gridColumn: ...}">` — component
  boundaries ate the style binding in earlier attempts.
- **Two-box settings layout**: took two wrong iterations before matching the
  user's reference image. Re-confirm layout intent against a screenshot
  before assuming.
- **Redundant outer frame border on settings page**: fixed with a
  `body.toplevel_page_aurora-admin` override in `shell-frame.css`.
- **Dashboard submenu defaulting collapsed**: `Sidebar.vue`'s `normalize()`
  URL helper didn't map the bare `/wp-admin/` root to `index.php`, so the
  Dashboard section's active-state check (and thus its default-expanded
  state) never matched on the dashboard itself. Fixed by normalizing empty/
  query-only paths to `'index.php' + path`.
- **Aurora top-level menu appearing twice**: `SettingsPage.php`'s
  `add_menu_page('aurora-admin', ...)` naturally appears in WP's native
  `$menu` global. Since it's now also shown in the sidebar's dedicated Aurora
  nav section, `MenuSerializer::serialize()` explicitly skips slug
  `aurora-admin` to avoid the duplicate.
- **Browser automation can't install plugins**: the Chrome MCP `file_upload`
  tool only accepts files already "shared with the session" (attachments/
  connected folders) — local build output on disk doesn't qualify. Confirmed
  this session; the user must manually reinstall the zip every time. No
  workaround found — don't attempt this again.

## Not-yet-done (deferred, no active request)

- Full field sets for settings categories beyond General/Analytics/White
  Label (original plugin had more).
- Extending `native-enhance.js` boxing to other native screens (Tools, etc.)
  beyond Updates.
- Porting the real license-key activation flow (built previously in the old
  `aurora-admin-working` project, not yet ported to v2 — currently just a
  text field).
- Light-mode boxing for native pages (`native-dark.css`/`native-enhance.js`
  currently only styled for dark mode; light mode native pages are untouched
  WP default).
- Menu Creator: stored item `order` field isn't applied at runtime yet
  (hide/relabel work; reordering doesn't).
- No automated tests anywhere in the project — all verification has been
  manual, live-in-Chrome, per the established workflow rule above.

## Current state

No task in progress. Last completed and pushed: theme-control swatches in
the new floating `UserMenu`. Everything through commit `e1bd095` on
`origin/main` is confirmed live-verified and working by the user.